Quick-break electric switch.



No. 636,804. 'Patented Nov. I4, |899. G. L. HoLToN. QUICK BREAK ELECTRICSWITH.

(Appliuation led Mar. 25, 1899.) LNo Model.)

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s@ Q Q I u "9/ m5 n.. wAsHmaToN o c Nima' *rires GEORGE L. HOLTON, OFUTICA, NE7 YORK.

QUICK-BREAK ELECTRIC SVVETCH.

SPECFILGATFON forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,804, dated November14, 1899.

Application filed Marcil 25, 1899.'

fo @ZZ whom, t irl/Cty concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. HoLToN, a citizen of the United States,residing atUtica, in the countyot' Oneidaand StateofNew York, haveinvented certain new and useful linprovementsinQuick-Break ElectricSwitches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to quick-break electric switches; and the objectof my invention is to provide a simple but etlicient switch of thecharacter described and in which the conducting-blades will be firmlyheld in position when the circuit is closed. i attain this object in theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is an elevated top view of the in-' vention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection through line X X, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a fra-gmental elevated sideView of the switch.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents a non-conducting base-plate, to which are secured twoterminals B and C, the forward terminal B being provided with a stop Band on its rear edge with a recess B2, with which a locking-plate,hereinafter referred to, engages. Pivotally secured to the rear terminalC are two pair of conductingblades, forming one pair of main blades Dand one pair of snap-blades E, lthe snapeblades being located inside themain blades and adapted to normally be in contact with the twoterminals. The main blades are united at their forward ends by means ofan insulating-block D2, to which is secured a handle D3. The main bladesarefurther provided with a bolt D4, which engages a stop E', secured inthe insulatingeblock E2, which unites the forward ends of thesnap-blades.

F represents a locking plate or latch which is slidably mounted in twolongitudinal slots E5, cut in the sides of the snap-blades. Engagingsaid latch is a lever G, having a slot G in its upper end portion and abearing G2 at its lower end. This lever is movably connected with thesnap-blades by means of two pair of connecting-arms H and H2, each pairof which are located between the main and snap blades and pivotallyconnected atv their rear ends to the snap-blad es by means of rivets Iand I2, the forward or free ends of the arms being connected with thelever by means of Serial No. '710.406, (No model.)

pins J" and J2, one of which extends across the upper edges of theblades and engaging the slotted portion of the lever, the other pinextending across the lower edges of the blades and engaging the lowerbearing inthe lever. These pins are connected with each other by meansof spring-coils K' and K2, which are secured to the pins outside themain blades.

The operation of the Iswitch is as follows: Whenever it is desired tobreak the circuit, the main blades are raised by means of the handle,and by so doing will cause the lever to be drawn back by means of theconnecting-arms H/ and the upper pin J, which is pushed upwardly throughthe slotin the lever. The movement of the lever is com munie-ated to thelatch, which will thus be drawn back and entirely disengage the recessin the forward terminal when the main blade has been raised to theposition indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The friction betweentheforward terminal and the snap-blades causes the snap-blades to lagbehind for some distance from the main blades until the snap-bladesreach the extreme upper edge of the terminal, at which point they willbe quickly drawn to join the main blades by means of the spiral springs.A quick break inthe circuit is thus effected. When the circuit is to beclosed, the snap-blades are forced down over the forward terminal by thebolt D4, which engages the stud or stop E', which isv secured at theforward end portion of the snap-blades. The rounded rear corner of theterminal permits the latch to be crowded back and engage the rear edgeof the terminal until it reaches the recess in the said terminal, whenit snaps forward and locks the snap-blade in position.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction hereinshown and described, as various changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my` invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric switch, the combination with one forward and one rearterminal, one pair of main and one pair of snap blades pivotally securedto the rear terminal, the snapblades being located inside the mainblades and adapted to normally be in contact with IOO the terminals, alocking plate or latch slidably mounted in the snap-blades andfadaptedto normally engage a recess formed in the rear side of the forwardterminal, a lever having a slot in its upper end portion and a bearingiu its lower end portion engaging said latch two pair of connecting-armslocated between the snap and main blades and pivotally secured at theirrear end to the snapblades, and at their forward ends connected with thelever by means of pins, one of which extends across the upper edges ofthe blades and engaging the slotted portion of the lever, the other pinextending across the lower edges of the blades and engaging the lowerbearing of the lever, two spring-coils connecting the ends of the saidpins outside the main blades, substantially as described and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with the terminals, one pairof main blades and one pair of snap-blades pivotally mounted to one ofthe terminals, the snap-blades being located inside the main blades andadapted to normally be in contact with the terminals, a locking plate orlatch slidably mounted in the snap-blades and adapted to normally engagea stop located in one of the terminals, a lever having a slot in one ofits end portions and a bearing in its other end portion. engaging saidlatch, two pair of conmeeting-arms pivot-ally secured at one of theirends to the snap-blades, the other ends of said connecting-arms beingconnected With the lever by means of two pins Which extend acrossopposite edges of the blades and engage respectively the bearing andslot in the lever, the end portions of said pins being connected byintermediate yielding couplings, substantially as described.

In an electric switch the combination with the terminals, of pivotedmain and snap blades adapted to engage said terminals, a locking plateor latch slidably mounted in the snap-blade and adapted to normallyengage a stop in one of the terminals, a lever engaging said latch,connecting-arms pivotally secured at one of their ends to the snapblade,the other ends of said arms being connected with the lever by means oftwo pins which extend across opposite edges of the blades and engagerespectively bearings formed in the lever said pins being connected witheach other by means of intermediate yieldingcouplings,substantiallyasdescribed.

GEORGE L. HOLTON.

Witnesses:

LoUIs S. HANAUER, C. J. LUNDsTRoM.

